MUSIC

Barely known to the international public, the Electone pioneer and virtuoso Shigeo Sekito is the man behind four LP volumes titled “Special Sound Series” published by Nippon Columbia between 1975 and 1977. One of his masterpieces from “Vol. 2” titled “The Word II” gained great popularity after inspiring Mac DeMarco to cover it creating one of his most acclaimed tracks to date, an unforgettable tribute to Sekito’s blissful compositions. Quavo feat. Travis Scott, Eevee and others followed sampling this track to create new tunes. During the past years youtube’s music recommendation algorithm also did its part popularizing this track and the whole vol.2 LP online as well as creating an unsatisfiable demand for the highly sought-after 12” which hadn’t been reissued to date. Shigeo Sekito studied piano as a child and aspired to become a composer, studying composition at Osaka Kyouiku University. He was later attracted to a new Yamaha instrument called “the Electone”, and won the first prize at the National Electone Competition in 1967. He was one of the leading figures in the world of the Electone, while teaching younger students. He also performed and composed music on the piano under the name of Ken Akishino (秋篠健) and published some of his works on his YouTube channel before passing away in 2021. Originally released in 1975, Shigeo Sekito’s “Special Sound Series Vol. 2” is one of the best examples of his Electone works as a composer and pioneer. As a Malaysian newspaper described in a 1991 article: “His fresh, energetic, rhythmic and sometimes humorous style of playing is attracting a growing number of fans and enthusiasts to try and play Electone, and is expected to develop new possibilities in the Electone world. He is actively engaged in numerous concerts and recordings, both at home and abroad, practicing up to 14 to 15 hours a day. Sekito’s music can be described as “careful as the devil and daring as the angel itself”. His selection of tone color and miraculously sound manipulations make us find ourselves all of a sudden pulled back to our past inner experiences or thrown away into an opened future cosmic space. This is indeed a demonic work and may also result from the sweetness and purity of the angelic whisperings."

One of the furthest experiments in library music, first official vinyl reissue under Sonor Music Production license. ‘Chitarre Folk’ was conceived in July 1974 and produced by the small publishing company Nike, the album is brilliantly propelled by the two six-string players Bruno Battisti D’Amario and Silvano Chimenti (long-time collaborator of I Gres, Pulsar and Piero Umiliani E La Sua Orchestra), touching avant-folk themes surrounded by Maestro Sandro Brugnolini’s lush arrangements and Edda Dell’Orso’s ghostly vocals. Ethereal psych-folk melodies akin to the imaginary landscapes of John Fahey and Robbie Basho.

Vocal Shades And Tones is a miraculous leftfield library classic from the genius mind of celebrated UK composer/singer/vocal arranger Barbara Moore. It's a heavenly groove-based blend of jazz, Latin, soft-psych, folk-funk and gospel soul. Recorded for the legendary Music De Wolfe in 1972, it's an audacious start-to-finish listen, as dizzying as it is dazzling. It's a perfect snapshot of a musical era, supported by Moore's glorious vocal arrangements. Widely regarded among collectors, DJs, and lounge/easy-listening acolytes as an absolute essential it is viewed as the holy grail by many production music heads, rarely appearing for sale and disappearing in a flash when it does. Indeed, originals now go for over £300 and it's easy to see why. Just one of the reasons why this fresh Be With reissue, part of a wider De Wolfe reissue campaign, is so utterly crucial. Racing out the gate, the driving "Hot Heels" is a bright, sophisticated scat groove which sounds Brazilian, richly produced as if coming by the hand of Arthur Verocai. Yes, *that* good. It's followed by "It's Gospel" which is, er, a wonderfully slow and deeply soulful gospel treasure. The appropriately monikered "Steam Heat" is a darker, breathy gem, one for salacious crates and one of the record's most infamous tracks. "Fly Away" is pastoral West Coast soft rock, very much in conversation with John Cameron and Keith Mansfield's epochal KPM recording, Voices In Harmony. "His Name Was" is a stop-you-dead-in-your-tracks Beach Boys accapella church-organ stunner, whilst "Swing Over" is another carefree, richly produced sun-dappled smasher. The gentle Bossa and sunshine soul of the aptly-titled "Touch Of Warmth" closes out a virtually perfect A-Side. The B-Side opens with the easy grace and dramatic build of "Voice Force Nine". The jaunty "Very Fine Fellow" may be the only track to slightly grate so we advise heading to the slower, moody "Shades-Tones", eminently more compelling with sparkling, hypnotic piano throughout, underpinning the gorgeous wordless vocals. Just beautiful. It was sampled by Redman for his Method Man-featuring "Do What Ya Feel" on the great Muddy Waters. We're back in Brazilian territory with the cool, uptempo "I'm Feather" before swooning to the warm, relaxed "Drifting", another total highlight which was famously sampled by Koushik on his legendary remix of Madvillain's "America's Most Blunted (Doom's Verse)". The penultimate track, "Take Off" is a bright, organ lounge groove before this remarkable set is rounded out by the beaty "Fly Paradise". It's so so good, it sounds like Rotary Connection fronted by The Mamas & the Papas. As noted in a recent Guardian article on Moore's life, "there is a plushness and electricity in the tight vocal harmonies that spring out, sung with the precision of cathedral choristers decades before Auto-Tune." Amen. In the 1960s, Barbara Moore was a member of Top of the Pops’ resident vocal-harmony group, The Ladybirds and sang backing vocals for Dusty Springfield’s TV show. Her own outfit, the Barbara Moore Singers, were regulars on TOTP, singing with Jimi Hendrix when he performed "Hey Joe" live in Lime Grove Studios. An important detail for Moore was the shepherd’s pie she bought Hendrix when she found him alone, looking emaciated, near the BBC canteen. By 1970, she was working as a session singer for De Wolfe and, by 1972, was composing her own tracks for De Wolfe and working within their tight creative strictures. Each short track had to evoke an obvious mood and theme, with no significant key or tempo changes. Her response, this very album, managed to stay between the lines while cohering as an overarching artistic masterpiece. The audio for Vocal Shades And Tones has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

On the occasion of RT 30 (the celebrations of Right Tempo's thirty years of activity) the Italian record company has decided, among other things, to publish a new volume of this successful series. The Easy Tempo series, born in 1996, aimed to disseminate a sound linked to black culture (in its broadest meaning and most varied forms) with contaminations ranging from psychedelia to vintage electronics through soul, funk and jazz. Having drawn from the world of soundtracks did not arise from a specific passion in this area, but from the simple fact that that universe offered a vast repertoire, however submerged, of music suitable for the 'groove' vocation of Right Tempo, as well as a distinctive sign of national identity, considering the caliber of the composers and musicians involved in writing and performing the music featured in the different tracking lists of the series. To this respect, starting from Volume 11 that you are holding in your hand, Easy Tempo will expand its editorial horizons, including tracks taken from obscure, underrated and/or hard to find records that transcend the congested world of soundtracks. It should also be emphasized that, given the label international vocation, the repertoire from which we will draw will no longer be limited to Italian record production, but will have a global perspective. The sound journey you are about to embark on is steeped in soul, funk, jazz, Latin, psychedelia, with a pinch of electronics at times. Travelling flutes, tight and driving rhythm patterns and rich and colorful arrangements perfectly indicate Easy Tempo series new direction. The most intriguing and ubiquitous aspect is particularly incisive thanks to the "cinematic" cut given to the selection. We believe, upon a first check of the musical content, that this new chapter will meet the expectations of all those who have enjoyed the ten previous volumes of this collection of sounds and emotions over time. Enjoy Easy Tempo Volume 11. Features Roberto Pregadio, Soul's Soul, Orchestra Mustang, Genius, Gianni Marchetti, I Raffazzonati, Brooklyn Bridge Group, Hugh Bullen, Carlo Cordara e i Waterloo, Les Chakachas, Le Streghe, Ninety, Lara Saint Paul, Ivano Fossati, Sandro Brugnolini, Gianni Basso Quartet, Enzo Scoppa, Gino Marinacci, and The Gypsy-Gershwin Medley.

More in the new series from Jazzman featuring the lowest of the lowball schlock n' roll 45s never known to exist! After many years in hiding, notoriously shady Super Spiv of the record world Greasy Mike has finally opened up his vinyl dungeon, and we were first to raid it! We have left no box untouched, no crate unrummaged, no pile unpilfered! Just the greasiest and grimiest, the most shocking and sordid 45s have made it onto our selections. Watch out for more!!! On this occasion Greasy Mike reminisces about the time he was shipwrecked and washed up all alone on a remote island in the South Pacific. But, ever the resourceful, our man did not despair! Grooving to the beat in the tropical heat, his desert island discs kept him cruising while coconut moonshine kept him boozing. Dig this, swashbucklers!